David Bahn – Reflections

And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. ⁴⁴ Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” ⁴⁵ And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. ⁴⁶ And they laid hands on him and seized him. ⁴⁷ But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. ⁴⁸ And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? ⁴⁹ Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰ And they all left him and fled.

⁵¹ And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, ⁵² but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked. – Mark 14:42-52

I had a very weird experience when I was in college, but still living at home with my parents. One night I dreamed/imagined that my dad called me and asked me to come down stairs and help him move the swing set in the back yard so that he could mow around its legs (I had my own phone in my room with my own phone number). So I got up, wrapped a sheet around me, tromped down the stairs and out the front door, into the side yard, and looked into the back yard. “He’s not here!” I said in exasperation and frustration. I was back half way up the stairs to my room – wrapped still in my bedsheet – when my mom came to the bottom of the stairs.

“David! Are you just now getting in?!?” she demanded. It was, 2 a.m. after all.

“No, Mom. Dad called me!” I replied and stomped on up the stairs to bed. That was some vivid dream. But whenever I read this account of the man wrapped in a sheet following Jesus to see what was going on, I remember that night.

Only Mark records this event, and some believe that Mark included it as a sort of a signature: he was there. He saw what was going on. Running away naked in all his shame he was, nevertheless, present. He was there.

He saw the shameful treatment that Jesus endured. He saw Jesus being taken to Pilate even as the others fled the scene. He may not have witnessed the arrest, or the ear of the slave falling to the ground. But he alone was with Jesus at this time.

The hymn asks, “Were you there?” None of us can claim to have seen Jesus die. But we do have eye witnesses to these events. Whether it is Mark who ran away naked from this melee, or someone else, we have the witness of those who were. Their witness is that Jesus was the subject of a mock trial and a quick rush to judgment, leads to his suffering and ultimately to his death.

This is all part of God’s plan, and as we watch Jesus move toward the cross. I was not there to see it, but I am thankful for the witness of those who were, and even more thankful that Jesus allowed these to take him captive, and fulfill Scripture for our sake and for our salvation.

When you see a bad accident, a violent situation, or dangerous turn of events do you move toward it or away from it? In this case we are invited to draw near to Jesus in anticipation of his ultimate favor and blessing.

And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” – Mark 14:32-42

Often, when Diane and I enjoy a bottle of wine, I will be reminded of days gone by, when we would stop and think twice before spending $5 on a bottle of wine. Today our threshold of thinking twice is a bit higher, but we still tend toward lesser expensive wine. Once in a great while we will splurge on a really good bottle of wine, but that is a real treat – for a very special occasion. Still, when I am reminded of those more spartan days, I will say a prayer of thanks to God, that he has given us the good fruit of the vine, and that we are able to afford such a luxury.

Too often, however, we enjoy the luxuries of life with little thought of how rich and affluent we are. It’s very easy to forget to thank God for his gifts in the face of the more pressing issues of life: getting our cell phones to work, redoing our landscaping, or other accoutrements of the good life. An even more grave result of a life of affluence is how easily we can be numbed to our need for God by the barrage of opulent pleasures and worldly favor.

We may not think of the disciples living in the lap of luxury, but their post-Passover meal fullness all too quickly gave way to a spiritual lethargy that numbed their desires and awareness of their need for God’s favor, protection, and salvation. They would soon face grave temptation. Soon the events of this evening would unfold in a most frightening and chaotic manner. It’s difficult to find God when you’re numbed with earthly pleasures – even when you are rudely rousted out of your naive stupor.

You might think that your level of affluence is nothing – especially compared with that of the rich and famous. Your car may have no standing next to the cars on Top Gear. But even the disciples who lived a fairly simple life found ways to distract themselves by the world’s comforts. Truth is we can all find places of affluence in our daily lives.

Thank God that Jesus never got distracted by the things of this world. Though Satan even tempted him with all the glory and riches of the world, he refused, and remained faithful to God. My hope is that we all would follow Jesus’ example of leaning on God’s word, trusting his goodness, seeking his rule and reign, and remain faithful to his commandments. When we fail we can be thankful that Jesus never did fail, and that he took the cup of bitter wine and drained it for us, offering us the opportunity to drink freely of the water of life and enjoy the rich wine and finest food in the life of the world to come (cf. Isaiah 25:6-8).

And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” – Mark 14:17-25

I went back to the narthex and got ready for worship to begin. When, next I looked for him, however, he was gone. Vanished. Nowhere to be seen. I went outside to see if he was getting into his car, but I could not find him anywhere. I have no good feeling about that encounter; nothing about what I did that I would recommend to anyone – except perhaps that I did not simply tell him that he was not welcome there. 

The other vivid memory was with a husband and wife who were from Bosnia and Croatia. He was Lutheran (at least he claimed that he liked Martin Luther: “Martin Luther. Very good guy!” he would say.  But his wife was Muslim at least by birth. But now they were refugees – because of their mixed marriage – and as such they were our church’s wards: we sponsored them through the Lutheran Refugee and Imigration Services. We communicated fairly well: lots of smiles and head nods. 

He would come to the altar rail and receive the Sacrament. She would come too, expecting to receive the Sacrament. In stead, I would offer her a spoken blessing. This went on for some time until one Sunday, as I offered him the host, he very pointedly pointed to her and scowled at me. The implication was obvious: She was not to be denied the Lord’s Supper. I complied. Even though she was not baptized. Even though she was not confirmed. But what was I to do? Make a scene in front of the whole church? That day I made an appointment for a visit with them and we went through a Russian translation of Luther’s Small Catechism set a date for he baptism. Tamima is now a certified, baptized child of God. The only thing I might have done differently with regard to her participation in the Lord’s Supper would have been to have scheduled the visit and baptism for her sooner. 

Why these two stories? Because I am compelled to offer this gift of Jesus’ body and blood to anyone who comes to the altar having had the opportunity to hear that Jesus’ body and blood are here “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” I have no need to make anything less of the Lord’s Supper in order to approach the administration of it in this manner. Jesus’ words are clear. And although it is not totally clear, it seems that even Judas was part of this first Lord’s Supper. 

I realize that there are those who approach this meal with a much narrower understanding and practice. They have to answer to their own consciences – as do I. In the end we will all answer to the Lord who gave us his body and blood for our forgiveness and favor. The whole counsel of God, however, lays it on those who commune to examine themselves and then eat of the bread and drink of the cup (1 Corinthians 11:28). We do not wish anyone to eat or drink judgment upon himself or herself (1 Corinthians 11:29), by eating or drinking in an unworthy manner. But as Luther so aptly puts it: one is “truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words, “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

One more story illustrates this “for the forgiveness of sins” more perfectly, I believe. A young newly-confirmed girl visited a Mormon Sunday meeting at which they had the “Sacrament.” In that case it was bread and water passed down the rows of pews. She rightly did not partake. That proved to be the correct decision by what happened when she quietly – and without making a scene – simply passed the trays of bread and water (which is not what Jesus used) to the person next to her. Someone behind her in a stage whisper said, “Sinner!” 

Ugh. So right and so wrong. We’re all sinners, and in need of God’s grace and mercy. But so wrong on the part of that whisperer: the sacrament of Jesus’ body and blood is given and shed for sinners! When we come to the Lord’s table, we are saying we are sinners. We need God’s mercy, forgiveness. That’s who this meal is for: sinners. Repentant sinners to be sure. Sinners who believe Jesus’ words without a doubt. 

If you are a repentant sinner, who believes Jesus’ words, I would be happy to kneel in humble faith with you at the Lord’s table and receive this precious gift of Jesus’ body and blood, given and shed for us for the forgiveness of sins. One day all who believe Jesus’ words and promises will celebrate it anew in the fullness of rule and reign of God. Oh, how I look foreword to that day and that celebration!

And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ¹³ And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, ¹⁴ and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹⁵ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” ¹⁶ And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. – Mark 14:12-15

I wonder what today will bring. We have some plans for a fun outing to see some beautiful flowers and a tide pool area on the coast. It should be a fun and activity-packed day. I can hope that I’ll capture an award-winning photograph. I can imagine being inspired by the display of God’s creation. But I don’t really know what the day will bring.

I wonder whether the disciples had the same attitude as they readied themselves for Passover. They knew the customs and traditions of that feast. They had certainly observed it previously. They had perhaps even debated its meaning and put themselves back in that time with Moses in the dramatic events of 1450 years previous. There may have even been a mounting sense of anticipation in regard to Jesus’ ministry. He had spoken, after all, about the coming of the rule and reign of God. Did they have any idea of what actually lay ahead?

Although we know today -blessed as we are to be living after the events of this week – they did not. In this way their behavior is instructive. Not only do they do as Jesus tells them, they actively seek out his will in the matter. Their actions in alignment with Jesus’ purpose, plan, and mission, will yield a setting for a meal we celebrate even today.

Faith in Jesus is the essential element to experiencing his eternal favor and blessing. Faithfulness to Jesus’ commands, to God’s will and ways, includes the rhythmic expressions of our faith through worship and celebrations of God’s work in the world and through his church. These moments and events may not yield the same kind of powerfully important and long-lasting impact as did Jesus’ disciples experienced. But we will never have the privilege of being a part of God’s drama in others’ lives if we refuse to be part of the customs, rituals rhythms and commandments of God.

I believe that includes activities at church and home, and in all of life’s affairs. You never know what God will do in the course life and how you may be part of his kingdom’s impact in the faithfulness of everyday life.

It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, ² for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”

³ And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. ⁴ There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? ⁵ For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. ⁶ But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. ⁸ She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. ⁹ And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. ¹¹ And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Casting Crowns’ Song, Every Man lays out the breadth people who need God’s love and mercy. It’s a song that celebrates the ordinary people in life who may look fine on the outside but struggle with challenges and difficulties, guilt and shame on the inside. It is touching and insightful; a testimony not only of God’s love, but our need.

I think of this as I read this morning of the plots of men around Jesus’ betrayal and the plot to take his life from him. I realize that none of us reading this would so quickly and obviously participate in this injustice. Few of us have the kind of power over the affairs of the world that would allow us to put the Son of God on the cross.

But there are a thousand ways in which we plot to sidestep Jesus’ commands, and calling. We each have our places of brokenness in our lives – too many and often brought about by our own imaginations. As we see Jesus in his last days, we must do two things: recognize that we betray Jesus in subtle but real ways, and that Jesus died for you – no matter who you are or how you may have betrayed Jesus.

There is hope for every man, woman, child, boy, and girl. We all need it. Jesus is the source of it all. Thanks be to God!

Every Man – Casting Crowns

I’m the man with all I’ve wanted
All the toys and playing games
I am the one who pours your coffee
Corner booth each Saturday

I am your daughter’s favorite teacher
I’m the leader of the band
I sit behind you in the bleachers
I am every man

I’m the coach of every winning team
And still a loser in my mind
I am the soldier in the airport
Facing giants one more time

I am the woman shamed and haunted
By the cry of unborn life
I am every broken man
Nervous child, lonely wife

Is there hope for every man?
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
Is there hope for every man?

Is there love that never dies
Is there peace in troubled times
Someone help me understand
Is there hope for every man?

It seems there’s just so many roads to travel
It’s hard to tell where they will lead
My life is scarred, my dreams unraveled
Now I am scared to take the lead

If I could find someone to follow
Who knows my pain and feels the way
The uncertainty of my tomorrow
The guilt and pain of yesterday

Is there hope for every man?
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
Is there hope for every man?

Is there love that never dies
Is there peace in troubled times
Someone help me understand
Is there hope for every man?

There is hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
There is hope for every man

There is love that never dies
There is peace in troubled times
Will we help them understand
Jesus is hope for every man

There is hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
There is hope for every man

There is love that never dies
There is peace in troubled times
Will we help them understand
Jesus is hope for every man

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, ²⁵ and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶ And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

²⁸ “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. ³⁰ Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

³² “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴ It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. ³⁵ Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— ³⁶ lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. ³⁷ And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” – Mark 13:24-37

I could never get over the initial few pages of reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s Ring Trilogy. But I did watch the movies. Several scenes remain in my mind, most notably when Gandalf, in The Two Towers, promises his friends, “Look to my coming, at first light, on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East.” As the battle raged on that fifth day, with the forces of good being pressed hard and stretched to their limits, Gandalf finally rides in on a white stallion with help to save his friends.

Such is really the spirit of Jesus’ warnings and promises in these verses from Mark’s Gospel. Good will battle evil. Satan will continue his evil effort to steal, kill, and destroy. The followers of Jesus will carry the fight with weapons of the Spirit, and armed with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and all the resources God provides. Toward the end we may nearly faint. We will be sorely tempted to give up and give in.

But there will be deliverance. We need only watch.

I used to think of this as only a warning to frighten me. I worried that I might be caught doing something dreadfully wrong when Jesus returned…suddenly, decisively. To some extent that is part of Jesus’ warning: Don’t set aside your calling, or neglect your redemption.We may not know when that time will come. But never doubt: in the darkest hour Jesus will come and take his own to be with him forever.

“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, ¹⁶ and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. ¹⁷ And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! ¹⁸ Pray that it may not happen in winter. ¹⁹ For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. ²⁰ And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. ²¹ And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. ²² For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. ²³ But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand. – Mark 13:14-23

I’m trying to get my mind around how I actually do relate to the impending end of the world. I resonate much more with Luther’s plant a tree mentality than with the crazed sell all your possessions and wait for Jesus with me on a hillside” folks. But I wonder if I don’t need a dose of “be on your guard…” which, thankfully, Jesus supplies here in this text.

If I were to identify that for which I need to be on guard, it would be those things which offer false hopes particular to my weaknesses and places of anxiety. I could too easily be more ready to cut corners in an effort to get something done rather than making certain all things are in order. I might be willing to gloss over the details of a deal rather than niggle out every little piece of information to make certain all is in order. I am all too easily tempted to look to the urgencies of the latest technical gadget, my financial well-being, or my good standing in the eyes of others as more important than the enduring value of faith in Christ.

Don’t get me wrong: when push comes to shove, I will stay with Christ. I’m sure I’ll be better than Peter when questioned in the courtyard about his allegiance to Jesus! Or maybe not. Truth is, I need a Savior; I will not get it all right all the time. But all those false christs and false prophets will not stand the test of time. I thank God that Jesus has and does stand through the ages with hope and life, forgiveness and salvation.

I’m taking some vacation time this week to be with family. I’m thinking about how I will apply these challenging words and realities Jesus speaks of to our fun trips and granddad time. Others will face difficult challenges, or the daily grind of the freeway commute. In any case we all can pray that these moments given to reflection and self-examination will help us not to be distracted – whether we make some memories and enjoy the blessings of life and love together or face the ebb and flow of daily life.

And as Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” ² And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

³ And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” ⁵ And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray.⁶ Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷ And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁸ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. – Mark 13:1-8

My tendency in life is toward not taking the bait; not reacting precipitously. Sometimes my anger or fear gets the better part of me and I react. But I seldom make good decisions about a given situation in the spur of the moment. There are exceptions: seeing a snake in my path, or finding a wasp nest in the bush I’m about to trim: Run! Now! Some would name my normal mode of decision making stalling for time, or even denial. I prefer to call it deliberate and prayerful.

When it comes to the signs of the world’s ends, I am definitely more deliberate and prayerful. I love Martin Luther’s response to the question of what he would do if the world were going to end tomorrow. He, it is said, would plant a tree. Life goes on, after all – until the end actually does come.

Therein lies the challenge and the balance that we are to embrace in life as regards the end of the world. It is one thing not being given to constant fretting and sensational fascination with the various signs, events, and dire predictions. That does not call mean we ignore signs of the end of the world. They are all around: Wars, rumors of war, nation against nation, false Christs, false hopes, earthquakes and famines. These are but the beginning of the end – not the end itself.

Most of us are ready for the end of the world when the tax bill comes due, or our worst fears about a health diagnosis are confirmed. Most of us want the end to come when we’re not happy here and now. We don’t want to see the destruction of our temples – be they our beautiful church buildings, a delightful garden, or the most glorious seaside or mountain retreat.

Yet these will all come to an end. There will be a final time. Even the most God-glorifying physical structures will crumble. They will all be replaced with the immediate and eternal presence of the One we worship. Our earthly glories serve as a poor imitation for the true splendor of heavenly delight. One day we will see that for ourselves – we who hope in Christ. One day we will sit down at a heavenly banquet feast of God’s delight. Perhaps the earthly beauty we experience can serve as a reminder of that hope, and the pains and travail of earthly suffering can be seen for what they are: the beginning of birth pains, and a reminder for us not to put our hopes in the things of this world – no matter how glorious they may be.

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. ⁴³ And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. ⁴⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” – Mark 12:41-44

I had an interesting question asked me by a friend not too long ago. It caught me so much by surprise that I didn’t know what to say. He asked, “What do you do when people don’t pay?” I mumbled something about offerings being the free will gifts of people who want to support the ministry of the church. It was OK, but I didn’t feel as though I had really nailed the answer.

Later I remembered this story, and made it a point to circle back to his question and then shared this story: a widow who gave all she had gave more than all the rich people making their extravagant gifts. I’m not certain I did it justice, or that he really got what I was trying to get at. But I am sure this story is worth telling.

We are preparing for a capital stewardship campaign at St. John. We hope for some extraordinary, generous and large gifts that will help us realize a goal that only God could inspire and fulfill. But in the process we hope even more that those who give even the smallest gifts will do so in faith and trust in God.

God is not inspired by our large gifts. He is not impressed by even the last two pennies of the poorest widow. God is, however, deeply moved by risky faith. Whether it is of the woman with an issue of blood who reaches out to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment and is healed, or the men who bring their friend and lower him through the roof for Jesus’ healing touch, or the woman who trusts God for all of her needs: God delights in faithful trust.

I’m not certain just what that is to mean in your life, but I do have some ideas as to how it takes shape in mine. I look forward to probing that a bit this weekend, and discovering God’s delight in me as the foundation of my faithful trusting.

And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,

     “‘The Lord said to my Lord,

     “Sit at my right hand,

     until I put your enemies under your feet.”’

David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” – Mark 14:35-40

Perhaps you have seen the TV commercial featuring Captain Obvious. He explains some things about hotels that are, well, obvious. Like the concept of all-you-can-eat, how conference rooms work, that pools are filled with water and the fact that Hotels.com is the best website. Silly. Perhaps funny.

Some might think that Jesus’ statements here are rather obvious: beware of the scribes. Beware of those who walk around in holy robes. Watch out for those who seek places of honor, who devour widows’ houses, and pray long and loud, but only for show. Those warnings seem to be no-brainers.  

Why would we then fawn over those who have their entourages, and make a show of their money, fame, or success? Why do we give more place to the famous than we do to the faithful? What is it that causes us to consider faith and God to be a Sunday-only endeavor – and sometimes not even every Sunday? 

Jesus warns us against letting anything get in the way of his rule and reign in our hearts. He is the Son and Lord of David! He is like no other. It may be obvious, but it is worth noting that Jesus alone offers the hope and healing we all desperately need.